Match Preview

FULL STRENGTH LADIES

CHRIS GRIFFITHS is able to call upon his strongest squad of the season for Sunday’s crucial home game against Wimbledon, (noon kick off) at Footes Lane.

‘I know the players are excited by the line up,’ he said ahead of the game.
‘If the players step up and play to their full potential it will be exciting to watch and I think it will be a great game of rugby.
‘With the attacking firepower we have at our disposal we are very capable of scoring the 5 tries we need for the try bonus (we scored 5 tries against them away from home with a much weaker side) but we need to be really clinical and finish things off better than we have been.
‘We have been far better defensively of late and we will need to be on top form again on Sunday as Wimbledon are a good side and they will need some stopping.’

Despite their precarious position at the foot of Championship Two South West, Griffiths’ side are in good form.
‘We have definitely stepped up our game since Christmas, for 70 minutes or so we pushed top of the League Newbury and Reading Abbey Ladies really close and should have picked up losing bonus points which was the least we deserved.
‘We should also have won even more convincingly than we did against Teddington and may regret not getting that fifth try for the extra bonus point.
‘Hopefully we continue to improve on Sunday, put in a really convincing performance and get the big win we need.’

Starting XV
Michaela Rabey, Sophie O'Connell, Heidi Mahy, Ellie Whittles, Kristine Vavere, Tanya Scholtz, Fiona Power, Rachel Merrien; Jemma Crouse (C), Justeen Baker, Carly Duchemin, Hannah Guilbert, Fiona Ashworth, Chelsie Blondel-Power, Vicki Rang.
Replacements: Janelly Le Maitre, Tara Robert, Rebecca Drury, Sophie Ferbrache, Aimee Gaudion, Chloe Williams.